Climbing For Christ

Mission: Kilimanjaro 2013 Trip Report: Healing rains fall in Africa By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ We may have cursed under our breath at the weather conditions on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, but there was no use praying for the rain to stop. We were outnumbered by all of the farmers in the fields spread out below us. They were praying for the start of the rainy season as they prepared to plant their many crops. Day 3 of the Kilimanjaro trek saw our team climbing into snow at 14,000 feet. So we climbed in rain and snow, wind and cold, all the while humming the tune of T... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Tuesday, March 26) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Michael Heitland and I were in the air again, traveling from Tanzania back to our families in the United States. Joshua Cook was headed for Kenya and then on to South Africa. We all will be back on the same continent in just a few short weeks, when Michael and I journey to Morocco to trek with a few others in the High Atlas Mountains. There are many tribes, tongues and nations still waiting to hear the Good News. So we will keep GO-ing – praying that the Lord of the harvest will send others to... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Monday, March 25) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ We shared our appreciation and said our good-byes to the team that trekked Kilimanjaro with us during the traditional tipping ceremony in Moshi. (Guides and porters make more in tips from climbers than they do in salary from their trekking company). Yusuf said that when someone comes two or three times they are no longer clients, but like family. Climbing For Christ has used the same guides and porters five times since 2007. They are familiar faces and we enjoy greater interaction with them on each tr... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Sunday, March 24) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Our team finished our descent off the mountain on Day 7 of the Kilimanjaro trek. We completed a 45-mile (72-kilometer) circuit up the Machame Route and down the Mweka Route. After Joshua Cook and Michael Heitland summited 19,340-foot (5,895-meter) Kilimanjaro on Saturday morning, we descended from Barafu Hut at 15,300 feet to Mweka Hut at 10,300 feet. The trek then concluded at the Mweka Gate (5,800 feet) this morning. Cross in the road: Joshua Cook, left, and Michael Heitland pause at a cross made... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Saturday, March 23) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Joshua Cook and Michael Heitland reached the summit of Kilimanjaro accompanied by guide Saidi and assistant guide Mohamed at 7:20 a.m. in extremely high winds and bitter cold. Joshua and Michael give all praise, honor and glory to the One Who created this beautiful mountain and all things. “I lift my eyes up to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2 While preparing to climb Kiliman... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Friday, March 22) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Our old friend Yusuf joined us a Barafu Hut on Day 5 of our Kilimanjaro trek. Barafu is the high camp on the Machame Route at 15,360 feet (4,680 meters). We ascended only 2,105 feet, taking 3 hours to hike 2.2 miles from Karanga Camp. Yusuf climbed all the way from Mwenka Gate – about 10,000 feet – in 6 hours. For Joshua Cook, Mike Heitland and me it was a day filled with sunshine (our first) and SONshine. Yusuf has guided Climbing For Christ members in 2007, 2010 and 2011. He has reached... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Thursday, March 21) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Milaji brings hot water to our tents in the morning and offers us a choice of coffee or tea to drink. Milaji is one of 10 porters working on our trek. He has the slightly higher standing job of waiter. The pecking order is guide (Saidi), assistant guide (Mohamed), cook (Riziki), waiter (Milaji), toilet doctor (Mohamed, the man who takes care of our traveling port-o-potty), and the other porters (John, Manuel, Daudi, Abraham, Faaraj, Steven, Juma and Mohamed). Each of these men carries their own gea... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Wednesday, March 20) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Riziki, our cook, came to visit after breakfast to see if the porridge, mango, eggs, toast and drinks were to our liking. Riziki has cooked for trekkers for eight years; he first worked with us in 2007. He is an excellent cook, serving up ginger soup, and chicken with rice and fried sweet bananas for one of our dinners. He also made us lunch for the trail on Day 3 on Kilimanjaro. We set out from Shira Camp after a night of rain and hiked in rain and then snow up above 14,000 feet. After ascending ... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Tuesday, March 19) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Saidi, left, and Mohamed during a rest stop on the trail. Saidi and Mohamed led us out of the Machame Hut and directly uphill for about 1,200 vertical feet to start Day 2 on Kilimanjaro. We trekked another 3.5 miles, gaining nearly 3,000 feet before dropping down to Shira Camp at 12,630 feet (3,850 meters). We were on the trail for about five hours and reached camp just before the rain began. Saidi, 42, who helped guide us in 2007 and befriended my son Jesse, is guiding for only the seventh time ... Read more »

DISPATCHES: Kilimanjaro (Monday, March 18) By Gary Fallesen President, Climbing For Christ Mohamed, our assistant guide and another friend on Kilimanjaro, led us uphill from the Machame Gate. It’s ALL uphill from here, starting at 6,000 feet (1,830 meters) and ascending to 19,340 feet (5,895 meters). We climbed nearly 4,000 feet (about 1,200 meters) in about 3 ½ miles (which means steep terrain) on Day 1. It took about five hours and most of the hike was in the rain. Mohamed. Mohamed set the pace: pole pole (slowly slowly in Swahili). He has been doing this for 26 years, si... Read more »